


Voltron!

by EpicNerd



Category: Voltron: Legendary Defender
Genre: Alternate Universe - Rock Band, Bisexual Lance (Voltron), Enemies to Friends to Lovers, Gay Keith (Voltron), Hunk & Keith (Voltron) Friendship, Hunk & Lance (Voltron) Friendship, Hunk & Pidge | Katie Holt Friendship, Keith & Pidge | Katie Holt Friendship, Keith & Shiro (Voltron) are Siblings, Keith (Voltron) is Bad at Feelings, Lance & Pidge | Katie Holt Friendship, Lance & Shiro (Voltron) Friendship, M/M, Pidge | Katie Holt & Shiro Friendship, Pining Keith (Voltron), Socially Awkward Keith (Voltron), klance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-16
Updated: 2021-01-16
Packaged: 2021-03-14 06:06:50
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 6,036
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28790694
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EpicNerd/pseuds/EpicNerd
Summary: Everything was going perfectly for Lance: the band that he had started with his best friends was going on its first tour! There was only one thing that was wrong with the picture-Keith, Shiro’s little brother, was coming along, too.
Relationships: Keith/Lance (Voltron)
Comments: 2
Kudos: 39





	1. Lance

Lance was bouncing on his feet on the curb of his street, a backpack on his shoulders with a duffle bag in one hand and a guitar case in the other. He had already said goodbye to his family and was now waiting anxiously with the biggest grin on his face for his official tour bus to roll up and sweep him away.

He still couldn't believe that his little garage band had not only signed a record deal, but were traveling across the country for numerous concerts! What started out as him just messing around with his two best friends, Pidge and Hunk, at the school's annual talent show turned to them performing at local parties and events.

It was at one of those events that had brought them to Shiro's attention. When the older boy had approached them as they were getting off the stage, Lance had to repress a squeal of excitement at being face to face with his hero, his role model.

While Shiro wasn't know around the country at the time, he was a well-respected guitarist in their town. And, somehow, three teens had impressed him and he wanted to join the band. Voltron! had a new member. With Lance as the lead singer, Shiro with his guitar, Hunk with his drums, and Pidge manning the electric keyboard, they started catching wind and were approached by Allura and Coran a little over six months after Shiro joined the band.

The two adults had sat down with the teens and their parents and presented the idea of Voltron! going on tour. While they were ecstatic about the prospect, they politely asked if the tour could wait until Lance, Hunk, and Pidge finished school. When their two new managers agreed, contracts were signed and parties were celebrated.

Now, as a full-fledged adult ready to take on the world with his best friends, Lance was bursting with excitement to be picked up. He hadn't seen the tour bus yet, and he was borderline impatient to see how well the design Coran had shown him turned out.

After what felt like an eternity, a bus rounded the corner and road the cul-de-sac before stopping in front of him. Lance began shaking with glee as he saw how amazing and cool the bus looked. Storing his things in one of the baggage holds, he took in the space-themed design. When the doors opened, he rushed inside and was grateful to be met with the cool breeze that contradicted the early June heat.

"Lance!" Hunk and Pidge exclaimed from their seats on the leather couch that looked oh so comfortable.

"Hey guys!"

"You ready to go around the country?" Coran asked enthusiastically from the driver's seat.

"Heck yeah! Let's do this thing!"

Coran releases the emergency brake and the bus begins moving away from their small town.

"Shiro's in the back with Allura an-" Pidge begins to explain before Lance accidentally cuts her off.

"Awesome!"

Lance moves across the bus towards the rear where all the beds were. The space was separated from the rest of the space by a curtain, and he slid it over, the grin still wide on his face. His eyes move from Shiro to Allura to-

"What's he doing here?"

"Oh, hey Lance! You remember my brother, Keith, right?"

"Keith will be travelling with us as we tour around the country," Allura says, filling him in.

"What? Why?"

"Lance, please, he's my brother! I'm not just going to leave him alone!"

"You make me sound like a baby," Keith grumbles, finally saying something.

Biting his tongue, Lance turns around to go sit on the couch, not wanting there to already be bad blood in the cramped space.

"I'm guessing you've figured out that Keith's here too," Pidge remarks sarcastically.

"Why do you hate him so much?" Hunk asks.

"The guy's a year older than us!"

"Shiro's two years," Pidge points out.

"That's not what I meant. I mean, he's not a little kid and yet he's always tagging along with us and butting in!"

Hunk and Pidge share a glance before narrowing their eyes.

"A: Keith hardly talks when Shiro brings him to practice and has always politely stayed seated with the audience during our shows."

"And B: he's 'always tagging along' because it makes Shiro feel better to know that Keith isn't alone all the time. You've seen how worried Big Brother can get," Pidge points out, being right yet again much to the annoyance of Lance.

"Whatever," he grumbles, crossing his arms over his chest and stretching his legs out.

"Oh! Matt got the hair dye you wanted!" Pidge exclaims, opening her small, green backpack and tossing a box to Lance.

His mood shifts suddenly back to joyful and he springs up from his seat.

"Thanks, Pidge!" he exclaims before rushing to the bathroom.

Reading the instructions, Lance carefully begins applying the blue dye to his brown hair, setting a timer for when he's supposed to rinse it out. Willing the time to go by, Lance scrolls through his phone and reading messages from loved ones that were busy that morning and couldn't see him off.

While he would miss his family dearly, he knew in his heart that he would have been even more sad than he was now if he hadn't taken the opportunity. His family will still be there when he gets back is what he would often assure himself whenever his stomach twisted in knots in worry that he made the wrong decision.

Finally, 20 minutes pass and Lance begins rinsing the dye out of his hair. With his eyes closed and his head under the sink's faucet, he doesn't hear the knock at the bathroom door or see Keith enter the room.

"Oh, sorry," he mumbled, realising who it is he walked in on.

Closing the door back behind him, Keith wanders back to his and Shiro's bed, crawling on it and lying down with his back to the rest of the room.

He never could understand why Lance seemed to hate him. He had been excited when his brother had invited him to one of his band practices and was even looking forward to asking if he could sing and play the guitar with them. But, when he walked into the garage behind Shiro, Lance had immediately given Keith an icy look without saying a word to him.

Suddenly feeling out of place and like an intruder, he had resided himself to a spot in the corner, out of the way, and not saying a single word. He watched as Lance slowly relaxed and forgot he was there, and he listened with butterflies in his stomach as the other boy sang into a microphone connected to a small speaker.

The next time Shiro had practice, Keith was invited again and he came along in the hopes that Lance would warm up to him and invite him to sing with him. However, Lance didn't even look at Keith that time and he resided himself to return to his corner, not making a sound.

The third time, Keith said no to going until he heard that it was at Hunk's house this time because Lance had the flu. He retracted his decline and rode happily with Shiro with his own red electric guitar in his lap. When Pidge and Hunk saw his guitar, they asked him to plug it in to one of the speakers with excitement that spread to Keith quickly. He had complied, and, while he didn't sing, he played the guitar in Lance's place. He had quickly bonded with the two and he and Shiro ended up staying the night, having too much fun to go home.

Keith tagged along to the next band practice, which was back at Lance's house. With his guitar in his hands once again, he had high hopes that Lance would want to be his friend and maybe even let him in the band if he could just hear him play. But his dreams and heart were crushed when Lance halfheartedly explained that there weren't enough ports in the sound system to have Keith's guitar plugged in as well.

Keith stopped bringing his guitar after that and just stayed on his phone in the corner during practices, there only because it made Shiro happy. He always made sure to stay out of Lance's way, and acted cold right back to him when he couldn't.

Now they were going to be on a tour bus together for over three months, and Keith wasn't sure how he felt. But he sure knew how Lance felt when he overheard him complaining to Pidge and Hunk about him being there. Hearing his words echo in Keith's head made him curl up slightly, wanting to both support his brother and also have it done with already.

When he hears footsteps behind him, he turns and gazes at Lance with shock as he crosses to his own bed with blue hair and a towel drying it off. Keith pretends to be absorbed in his phone, and no small talk is exchanged. After a few minutes, he remembers what he had in his own carryon bag and grabs it before going to find Shiro.

"You wanna dye our hair now?" he asks, pulling his brother's attention from talking to Hunk.

"You guys are dying your hair too?" Pidge asks, cocking her head to the side slightly.

"Oh, yeah! I've been planning to dye part of my hair white and I convinced Keith to dye his tips red! It's gonna look really cool!" Shiro explains enthusiastically before following Keith to the bathroom.

Hunk and Pidge stare after them for a moment before turning to each other.

"I bet five bucks Lance flips out and accuses Keith of copying him as soon as he seems him," Pidge says with a cheshire smile.

The two hold their sides as they laugh, knowing how childish their best friend can be sometimes.

"Maybe you should all dye your hair," Allura pipes in, looking up from the schedule on her tablet.

"That's not a bad idea, Princess," Hunk exclaims, using the nickname that they all gave her.

Like 'Big Brother' was given to Shiro, 'Princess' was given to her based on her behavior. No, she didn't act like royalty. She commanded the respect of one when she was in work mode.

She requested that they make a quick stop at the nearest drugstore before getting on the highway, and Coran happily obliged, turning the map on his phone off before scanning the streets for a store.

"I think I'll get tips, like Keith, but yellow!"

"I'm just gonna have a green streak."

"Maybe you could dye your hair pink, Allura," Coran called to his co-manager from the driver's seat without taking his eyes off the road.

"Mm, maybe."

"Ah, that would look so cool!" Hunk remarks, imagining it.

"What're you guys talking about?" Lance asks, emerging from the bedroom with a new shirt on and his hair dry now.

"Killer new look, Lance!" Pidge compliments.

"We were just talking about getting our hair dyed too!"

"Sweet! It can be, like, our band thing!" Lance exclaims, high-fiving Hunk.

"Shiro and Keith are in the bathroom dying their hair now."

"Wait, hold up! Keith's dying his hair too? I told you guys he's a copycat!"

Hunk and Pidge glance at each other again and smirk before looking back to Lance.

"Actually, it had been Shiro's idea."

That seemed to flip a switch for Lance, and he sighs before calming down. He reclaims his seat and settles in, envisioning them all up on stage, performing their first of many shows.


	2. Keith

Keith felt rather useless. He wanted to help the band, sure, but how could he? Allura was in charge of marketing, Coran handled scoring and managing gigs, Shiro kept motivation up, Hunk and Pidge dealt with all the sound systems and other tech stuff, and Lance wrote the lyrics and scored the music for all the band's songs. What was there even left to do?

Some days, he reasoned that no one expected him to help since he wasn't tied to the band at all, but other days...he felt like they were all waiting for him.

Shiro loved him, that was for certain. Pidge and Hunk were pretty chill with him. Coran seemed happy whenever he saw Keith. Allura didn't acknowledge him much, but she was warm and polite when she did. But then there's Lance. Keith tried to pick up the other boy's guitar once in order to move it to where it needed to be on stage, and Lance yelled at him as if he had done something stupid and reckless. Keith didn't touch the guitar again.

Keith played his own guitar, though. He wasn't in attendance of all of Voltron!'s showings, and he was out in the streets when he wasn't. He would find a corner that had a lot of foot traffic, set his open guitar case down in front of him, and he would play. Most people just walked by, some dropped money in before continuing to wherever they were going, but a few would stop and listen, smiling. Keith was so sure that Lance would have the same reaction if he could just give him a chance.

He wanted to tell Shiro about this; his big brother always knew what to say, but he knew that Lance would get an earful and Keith didn't want to be hated even more. So he kept it to himself; he kept to himself most of the time actually. Except for when he had to be on the tour bus for traveling or to sleep, Keith was off exploring the world and staying out of the way.

The best night of his life (so far), was when they were in Nashville, Tennessee, a.k.a. Music City. Keith had wandered into a bar while Voltron! was performing, and noticed an empty stage for live performers. Asking a bartender to speak to the manager, he requests to perform a song of the audience's choice. The manager agrees and Keith steps onto the stage at 9:15 PM. When the song was over, Keith was gasping for breath but the bar was otherwise silent. Then it erupted in cheers and applause. He felt like he could explode from happiness and adrenaline; maybe a little bit of pride. He got a lot of tips that night and decided to take the band and two managers out for a late dinner after the concert, his treat.

Feeling bold, Keith sat between Lance and Shiro, refusing to move. Luckily, the other caught on with what he was doing and denied Lance's request to switch seats. Keith was not quiet that night. Keith was not making sure to stay out of everyone's way.

"You're in a good mood," Shiro notes joyfully.

"Yeah, and where'd you score all this moola?" Hunk asks.

"Got a gig at a bar down the street about an hour ago and it went really well. Drunks tip."

"Hold the phone! You performed?" Lance asks in an accusing tone, pointing a finger at Keith as his jaw dropped.

"We tried to tell you, Lance! He's good!" Hunk exclaims over the loud atmosphere of the nightclub.

"Then how come I've never heard you play?"

"I tend not to do things that make me happy around people that wouldn't care if I died in a ditch," Keith says coldly, taking a sip of a virgin margarita.

Lance just stared at him for a moment, dumbfounded, before his mind seems to reset and it's as if the conversation never happened; back to Happy-Go-Lucky Lance.

Keith however, was mentally checked out from reality as his soul screamed into the void due to nerves and joy at getting a jab at the other boy. Shiro didn't say anything much either the rest of the night; instead just discreetly switching glances between the leader of his band and his little brother.

* * *

The next day, Keith was jolted awake yet again when he stumbled into the bathroom and thought his head was lit because the dye looked like flames. Keith has always been secretly afraid of fires ever since one took his dad. He doesn't tell anyone about that.

It looking like fire was the only time he didn't like his color choice. Otherwise, he loved it. It made him feel in control, like an adult, even though it was a rather small thing. Despite having been a legal adult for over a year, Keith still felt like a child sometimes in the way that Shiro is always watching over him. He knew it was out of love and concern for his happiness, but Keith still longed to be independent, out of the shadow of his big brother and only family.

Of course, now he was in someone else's shadow: Lance's. Does the boy hate him because Keith believes in Mothman? He doesn't know. Is he, for some reason, afraid that Keith will somehow replace him? He doubts that theory because of Lance's ego. So what is it? And why does Keith care so much?

Not knowing how else to express how he was feeling, he wrote it into lyrics. Not sure how to add music to it to make it fit, he changed the song into a poem. He actually fell asleep while on his bunk right after he finished writing it, and the notebook was stored away in his bag when he woke up. Pidge and Hunk looked at him more after that, but Keith ignored it. He just focused on staying out of Lance's way and trying to get into the spotlight at any gig he can get.

Currently, they were stopped in Pensacola, taking a beach day before continuing to Orlando for Voltron!'s next performance. Keith was excited when he heard what they were doing because he loves the water, finding it so fun when the waves are really strong.

But, before he could have fun, Shiro wanted him to come along to something, but he wouldn't tell Keith what it was. He found it suspicious as the man has always been upfront about things, but went along with it anyway. Apparently, that was a mistake.

There was an empty lot where a restaurant that had gone out of business but was never repurposed sat. Keith found it eerie yet cool to be in, and he explored the abandoned building while Shiro waited outside for something. He assumed that this was the surprise that Shiro had been talking about. They had walked, so the tour bus and everyone in it did not come with them.

While he aimlessly walked around the building, he hummed one of Voltron!'s songs that he had heard during their practices before they began the tour. He never really paid attention to the lyrics of most of their songs, but he listened to music. Keith once joked to himself that he's a mockingbird.

"Keith! Can you come out here please?" he hears Shiro call.

The younger man does as asked and exits the building, finding Pidge and Hunk standing outside of the tour bus, plugging in speakers.

"What?" is all Keith can say.

"Jam session, dude!" Hunk exclaims, straightening up and clapping his hands off, rubbing away some dirt.

That made Keith mad. Though he had only been here for a few minutes longer, it felt like they were intruding, planning to do something he wouldn't get to have a part in. Well, that's what he thought until Pidge opened the storage compartments and got his guitar.

"Your song pick," she says, handing the instrument to him.

"What?" he repeats.

Shiro walks up to them and places a hand on Keith's shoulder.

"We want to hear you play, and Hunk and Pidge get to practice a bit."

Mullet wants to ask if Lance will also be playing, but, upon not seeing him, decides not to.

"Any of your songs is okay," he says instead.

Once everyone is ready, Hunk counts them off before he, Shiro, and Pidge begin playing. When Keith figures out what song it is, he joins in on his guitar as he recalls the lyrics. He leans towards the mic that was placed in front of him, and he begins singing.

Lance had been told that they were just moving the bus to an abandoned lot so that they aren't recognized and harrassed. He wasn't really paying much attention, and he was texting his sister, Veronica. That is, until he hears his own song being played outside. He puts his phone away and gets up off his bed, slowly stepping out into the rest of the bus, not finding anyone inside. Looking out a window, he saw Coran and Allura sitting on two suitcases, Hunk, Pidge, and Shiro were playing, and…

Lance storms out the open bus doors, and rounds the side to where they were. He was about to pitch a fit about Keith, but glare from Shiro made him stop in his tracks, ducking his head in embarrassment.

Not sure what to do, he walks around and sits on the bare road of the parking lot next to Allura. He pulled out his phone to check his social medias, but Allura quickly snatched it away, giving him a forced smile when he tries to grab it back. With nothing else to do, Lance gives up and listens. When he did, something clicked in his head.

Keith's voice was like the clarity before an echo, like the calm eye of the noisy and chaotic hurricane. He wasn't just singing the music, his voice was the music. It blended in perfectly, yet stood out at the same time. Lance hated it, but he enjoyed it. He enjoyed Keith's singing.

'Dang it. Hunk and Pidge were right.'

Keith opened his eyes as he neared the end of the song, saw Lance glaring at him as he watched, and then his throat closed up, preventing him from finishing the number.


	3. Klance

"Why'd we stop?" Hunk asks, realizing that Keith was no longer playing or singing.

"I-"

"Sorry. I'll go," Lance mumbles, sighing as he stands up.

Keith stops him by hitting a chord that rings out throughout the vast, vacant area. He pauses before he begins playing a new song. The others soon pick up because they all know it; Lance's favorite song has always been "Waka Waka" by Shakira.

"What are we doing?" Hunk stage-whispers to Pidge, whom only offers a shrug in response before shredding it on the piano.

Keith held eye-contact with Lance before twisting the microphone stand to face the Latino; silently telling him to sing. Hesitantly, McClain complies and walks over to stand next to Keith. Glancing at the shorter teen from the corner of his eye, he leans into the mic and sings.

Keith couldn't help but grin as he played the guitar. Lance's singing was sincere, spectacular. When singing songs that aren't by Voltron!, he isn't in perfect tune that mirrors the original. He puts his own spin, his own amazing spin, on the songs to make it unique to him. Keith truly had never heard a songbird as beautiful as Lance.

When the song was over and the resonance of the music died out, Lance tilted his head to look at Keith.

"Welcome to the band."

The elder teen smiled broadly, and Hunk tackled him in a hug, followed by Pidge, then Shiro. Allura and Coran joined in, and then Lance as well. Keith was never big on hugs, but, in that moment, he didn't ever want his friends to let go.

"We need to celebrate! I'll cook!"

"We have a kitchenette and no oven," Pidge points out.

"I can work with that! Easy-peasy!"

"We don't have any food," Lance adds.

"Coran: to the supermarket!" Hunk exclaims, pointing in a random direction.

They all packed away their equipment before piling back into the travel bus. Coran used his phone's map to find the nearest supermarket, and got them there in almost no time at all.

Shiro, Allura, and Coran followed Hunk as the four looked for what ingredients they needed for that night. With a tight budget, "On Sale" signs caught their attention left and right. Meanwhile, Pidge had been given a shopping list to grab the rest of the food they needed for the week. She, along with Lance, was in a buggy that Keith was pushing.

"Where's the cereal aisle?" Lance asks.

"Um...that way!" Pidge pointed.

Keith sharply turned the shopping cart before sprinting in the direction, the two in the cart screaming and laughing. It did not take long before they were kicked out of the store. Hunk was the only one allowed to do the shopping after that.

* * *

Voltron!'s first practice with its new member was exciting. Usually, Allura and Coran didn't sit in as they're always busy making sure things run smoothly; but, they made an exception and joyfully watched for the two and a half hours as the band fumbled over each other to help incorporate Keith as much as they could. It was fun to watch; stressful to be apart of.

Lance, surprisingly, was the most helpful. In fact, he was much nicer to Keith as a whole now. Everyone noticed and appreciated the shift in his attitude and outlook; Keith most of all.

He wouldn't be in any of the shows for this tour as it had already begun before he joined, but Allura and Coran were already talking about another tour up in Canada. That made Keith's stomach turn and twist in knots. This has been what he's wanted for so long, but he honestly hadn't thought about how far it would take him, literally and figuratively.

"You alright, Keith?" Shiro asks one night upon finding his little brother hunched on his bunk with a stern expression on his face.

"Just thinking...about things."

"Well, what kind of things?" the white-haired man asked, sitting down next to Keith.

His unnaturally red hair falls in his face as he tilts his head down to look at his feet as a sigh escaped his lips.

"I don't know."

"Let me guess. You're worried about going on tour with the band. I saw your face when Allura mentioned travelling to Canada."

Shiro places his hand on Keith's back, knowing that the contact comforts him.

"You're not doing anything alone. Lance, Pidge, Hunk, and I will all be up on stage with you the whole time. Besides, that's not for another year from now! If you want to back out, we'll all understand."

'Do I want to back out?' Keith thought to himself, his face softening.

"I want to play. I want to perform."

"Then do it," Shiro says, smiling down at Keith as he stands up before walking out of the back area of the bus.

A few minutes later, Lance was practically shoved through the curtain by Pidge and Hunk after they all listened to Shiro mumble with a sad expression about his own conversation with Keith.

"Hey! Watch it!" Lance yells before quickly silencing himself upon seeing Keith.

"Lance?"

"You okay, buddy? Maybe I can help with whatever's making you all blue," the latino boy says, pointing to his blue hair with a goofy grin.

Keith laughs at that, and the tension in the room dissipates. Lance sits on the opposite side of him from where Shiro had been sitting.

"I guess I'm just worried that I'm going to drag the band down. You guys already work so well together, and I don't want to intrude and drag everything down."

"Hey, look at me."

Keith's gaze rises from the floor to meet Lance's eyes, and there's a brief flutter in his chest and the tiniest pink tint on his cheeks.

"You are awesome," Lance explains, putting emphasis on each word, "the way you play guitar and sing is like hearing songs for the first time all over again!"

"You really think that?"

"Yep! And everyone else will, too. I know it."

Lance rests his hand on Keith's shoulder, giving it a light squeeze of reassurance. Then, like Shiro, he stands up to walk away.

"You'll do great," he says kindly, admiration in his eyes.

At the last moment, Keith grabs Lance by the wrist and stands up.

"Lance, wait!"

Pidge and Hunk, who have been sneakily watching from the crack in the curtain, both stifle sharp intakes of air as they anticipate what's about to happen. Lance turns around, curiosity radiating off of him. In that moment, Keith loses his confidence and looks back down, letting go as his hand drops to his side.

"Thanks...for believing in me."

"No problem."

Pidge and Hunk quickly back away and assume "natural" poses as Lance walks through the barrier, leaving Keith alone.

The eldest teen lingers for a moment before returning to his bunk, covering his face with his hands as his entire face turns red with blush.

* * *

Some practices, Keith was apart of. Others, he wasn't so that the band wouldn't get too used to him being in the space when he wouldn't be during performances. On those days, he would be just outside the stage doors, playing guitar by himself or for whoever was passing by. He never looked at any of the pedestrians; he kept his eyes trained on the sky as he played from the heart.

After that moment with Lance, it clicked for him just how much the other boy meant to him. So, he had a plan. He would tell Lance everything, through song. If he was rejected-

'no harm done," Keith reasoned with himself as his stomach twisted from nerves.

If his feelings were somehow, miraculously, reciprocated...well, no galaxy could house his excitement.

The plan was to get Lance somewhere alone. It had to be far enough away to make the moment private, but not too secluded in case Keith needed to make a break for it. Inside the bus was out of the question; he didn't want an audience. That train of thought was what led him to the idea of confessing on stage.

'After a show, after everyone leaves, I'll ask Lance to hang back for a minute before we leave to celebrate another successful performance.'

The band always waited until well after all the fans had cleared out of the area so as not to be bombarded, and Lance was, without fail, always in the best of moods after a show.

_ "A performance high, I guess!" _

Keith had decided. If he doesn't do it soon, he'll lose his nerve again. So, what better time than that night? They were on the coast of North Carolina, which made Lance happy, and another show was happening that night, which would make Lance happy.

He spoke of his plans to no one so that he wouldn't be pressured to do this and that. Only he knew what was happening when he snagged Lance by the elbow before he could walk through the backstage doors.

"What's up, buddy?" Blue-Head asks, his gleeful smile still radiating on his face.

"Can we talk...alone?"

"Yeah...sure."

Suddenly, they were both in serious mode as Keith led Lance back to the center of the stage and motioned for him to sit on a wooden stool.

"What's going on? Oh! Is this a surprise birthday party?"

"Lance, your birthday isn't for another three months."

"Oh, yeah."

'This isn't going how I imagined. I need to keep talking.'

"I first heard about you from my brother. He told me how awesome you were. I first saw you at band practice. You didn't match up to the pedestal I put you on."

"What are you talking about, Keith?"

He takes a deep breath, steeling himself before he pours his heart out. Oh, how he hates being vulnerable.

"Despite being so sure that you hated me, I still craved your attention. And I didn't understand why until I got it."

At that, Lance finally notices Keith holding his red guitar, and the pieces slowly but surely begin falling into place. At the same moment, Mullet strums the first chord of the song he wrote himself that turned into a poem and now back into a song.

"Just...listen," he says in response to Lance's quizzical gaze.

And that, the other boy did. He listened as Keith soulfully sang the song his heart had been playing for so long.

Meanwhile, Lance was freaking out as a million different thoughts were screaming at him all at once.

'Does Keith like me? Am I reading too much into this? Keith is gay? Am I supposed to say something? What do I do? Should I tell him to stop? Do I even want him to stop? Am I gay? I like girls! But Keith? What do I do? Do I like Keith? Can I like Keith? He's a dude! He's a bandmate! What do I do? My family would be so mad if they knew! What do I do? What do I do?'

Lance didn't even register when Keith's song ended, and the two were just locked in silent eye-contact for almost a full minute before the bluehead leaped up from his stool, startling both Keith and himself.

"That was a really cool song, Keith! Did you write that yourself?" Lance asked, his breathing short and his voice an entire octave higher.

"Um, yeah. I did."

"Awesome!"

The two were both radiating awkwardness, but neither were quite sure on what to do next.

"So, what did you think of the lyrics?"

"The lyrics? Um, I really liked them!"

"You did?" Keith asks excitedly, stepping towards Lance.

Lance, it turn, side steps and moves backwards, putting the stool between them. So that he doesn't look so awkward, he braces his hands on the seat, keeping his gaze on Keith's face rather than the floor.

Keith honestly didn't think he would get this far. He was so sure that either he would bolt or Lance would upon realizing what he was doing. But they were both still there.

'What does he want me to say?'

'Why isn't he saying anything?'

Lance forces his fears into a box that he locks away in the back of his mind, and he looks at Keith again. He looks at Keith not as what negative repercussions may ensue, but as a person; a person he finally realizes he cares a lot about. And that's all it took. His legs needed no commanding. He strode up to Keith, took his cheek in his hand, and leaned forward until their lips were less than an inch apart.

"Can I kiss you?"

Feeling Lance's hot breath on his face sent shivers down Keith's spine. Both wanted to flee. Neither wanted to be anywhere else.

"Yes."

Lance further ducks his head and gently presses his lips against Keith's.

'I'm kissing Keith. I'm kissing a boy. I feel weird. Does this mean that I don't like Keith? Do I not like boys? Do I not like girls? Everything's so confusing.'

They both had their eyes closed, and Keith's hand rose up to wrap around Lance's lower back while the younger teen still cupped Mullet's cheek in his hand. They were calm. They were restless. It felt wrong. Nothing else in the world felt more right. It was a bizarre experience, a bizarre existence, that neither really wanted to end.

Unfortunately, they had to break away to breathe, and their eyes opened to gaze at each other once more. Electricity was still on their lips, and the imprints of where the other's hand was still lingers on their bodies. Their hearts pounded in their chests, and the auditorium, originally freezing, felt unbearably hot. As if intoxicated, their brains were fuzzy and dopamine was coursing through them.

"Boyfriend and boyfriend. It sounds a bit weird to say, but I like that for you and me," Lance said, smiling ever so slightly.

Shock was quickly replaced by joy on Keith's face, and he mirrored Lance's expression in return.

"I like that, too."


End file.
